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College Board AP Chemistry Your notes
5.1 Reaction Rates
Contents
Measuring Reaction Rate
Stoichiometry & Reaction Rate
Factors Affecting Reaction Rate
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Measuring Reaction Rate
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Measuring Reaction Rate
In chemistry, it is important to determine how quick products are formed during a chemical reaction
The rate of reaction is the speed at which a chemical reaction takes place
The rate of reaction can be expressed as the change in concentration of a reactant or product per unit
of time
The most common units for rate of reactions are M s-1 or mol L-1 s-1
How to calculate the rate of reaction
The rate of reaction is always a positive value
The formula for the rate of reaction in terms of the concentration of product is shown below:
change in concentration of products (M )
rate of reaction (M s −1 ) =
time (s )
If the rate of reaction is calculated using the change in concentration of reactants, the formula must
have a negative sign
This occurs because the change in concentration of reactants is negative
change in concentration of reactants (M )
rate of reaction (M s −1 ) =
time (s )
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Worked example
Your notes
Calculate the rate for the reaction
A→B
If the concentration of A has decreased from 2.5 M to 0.6 M in 20 seconds
Answer:
Step 1: Identify the formula that must be used and replace the values
Since A is a reactant, the equation that must be include the concentration of reactants
change in concentration of reactants (M )
rate of reaction (M s −1 ) =
time (s )
Step 2: Replace the values in the formula and calculate
Final concentration − Initial concentration
rate of reaction (M s −1 ) =
time
0. 6 M − 2. 5 M
rate of reaction (M s −1 ) =
20 s
rate of reaction (M s −1 ) = − 0. 095 M s −1
Using graphs to calculate instantaneous rate
Experimental data from reactions can be used to determine the rate of reaction graphically
Two different graphs can be constructed: concentration of reactants vs time, and concentration of
products vs time
The steeper the gradient, the quicker the rate of reaction
To find the instantaneous rate of reaction at any point in the graph, draw a tangent to the curve, and
calculate the gradient of the tangent
The gradient of of a line can be calculated using the equation below
∆y
gradient =
∆x
If the data used corresponds to the graph: concentration of reactants vs time, the sign must be
changed
This mathematical manipulation must be done because the reaction rate is always a positive value
If the data corresponds to the graph: concentration of products vs time, there is no need for a
mathematical manipulation
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Worked example
Your notes
Iodine and methanoic acid react in aqueous solution.
I2 (aq) + HCOOH (aq) → 2I− (aq) + 2H+ (aq) + CO2 (g)
The rate of reaction can be found by measuring the volume of carbon dioxide produced per unit time
and plotting a graph as shown:
Calculate the rate of reaction in mL t-1 at 20 seconds
Answer:
Step 1: Draw a tangent to the curve at 20 seconds
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Your notes
Step 2: Complete the triangle and use values of x and y to calculate the gradient. The result of the
gradient calculation is the rate of reaction
∆y
gradient =
∆x
27 mL − 3 mL
gradient =
40 s − 0 s
24 mL
gradient = = 0. 60 mL s −1
40 s
Exam Tip
When drawing the tangent to a curve, you must:
Make the triangle as large as possible
Intersect with grid lines if they are given
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Stoichiometry & Reaction Rate
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Stoichiometry & Reaction Rate
Let’s consider the general reaction,
aA + bB → cC + dD
The rate of reaction must be independent of the chemical substance used to calculate the rate
There is only one positive value for the rate of reaction
The stoichiometry of the reaction can be used to establish general equations for the rate of reaction
The rate depends on the coefficient for each substance in the chemical equation
The negative sign is added to the reactants since the rate is a positive value
The brackets represent molarity
1 ∆ ⎢⎣ A ⎥⎦ 1 ∆ ⎢⎣ B ⎥⎦ 1 ∆ ⎢⎣ C ⎥⎦ 1 ∆ ⎢⎣ D ⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
Rate = − =− = =
a ∆t b ∆t c ∆t d ∆t
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Worked example
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What is the rate of appearance of NO2, if the rate of decomposition of N2O5 in the chemical reaction is
5.0 ✕ 10-8 M/s?
2N2O5 → 4NO2 + O2
Answer:
Step 1: Identify the rate given by the statement. Since the rate of decomposition is calculated
using a reactant, the rate must have a negative sign
∆ ⎢⎢⎣ N 2 O 5 ⎥⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤
= − 5. 0 × 10 −8 M s −1
∆t
Step 2: Set up an equation that links the rate of decomposition of N2O5 and the rate of
appearance of NO2
1 ∆ ⎢⎣⎢ N 2 O 5 ⎥⎥⎦ 1 ∆ ⎢⎣⎢ NO 2 ⎥⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
− =
2 ∆t 4 ∆t
Step 3: Replace the values given and solve for the rate of appearance of NO2
1 ∆ ⎢⎣ N 2 O 5 ⎥⎦ 1 ∆ ⎢⎣ NO 2 ⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
− =
2 ∆t 4 ∆t
∆ ⎢⎣ NO 2 ⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤
1 ⎛⎜ ⎞
− ⎜⎜ 5. 0 × 10 −8 M s −1 ⎟⎟⎟ = 1
2 ⎝ ⎠ 4 ∆t
∆ ⎢⎣ NO 2 ⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤
1 ⎛⎜⎜ −8
⎞
−1 ⎟⎟
− ⎜ 5. 0 × 10 M s ⎟ × 4 =
2⎝ ⎠ ∆t
∆ ⎢⎣ NO 2 ⎥⎦
⎡ ⎤
= 1. 0 × 10 −7 M s −1
∆t
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Factors Affecting Reaction Rate
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Factors Affecting Reaction Rate
The rate of a reaction depends on the number of successful collisions between the particles
The factors that affect the rate are:
Concentration
Pressure
Temperature
Surface area
The use of a catalyst
Concentration
If the concentration increase, the amount of successful collisions increase
Therefore, the rate of reaction increases
Effect of concentration in the rate
The diagram shows a higher concentration of particles in (b) which means that there are more particles
present in the same volume than (a) so the rate of reaction increase
Pressure
If the reactants are in gaseous state, an increase in pressure will increase the amount of successful
collisions because there is less space to move
Therefore, the rate of reaction increases
Effect of pressure in the rate
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Your notes
The diagram shows a higher pressure of particles in (b) which means the same number of particles
occupy a smaller volume than (a) so the rate of reaction increase
Temperature
An increase in temperature will increase the speed of the particles, so the amount of successful
collisions will also increase
Therefore, the rate of reaction increases
Effect of temperature in the rate
An increase in temperature causes an increase in the kinetic energy of the particles. The number of
successful collisions increases, so the rate increases too
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Surface area
An increase in surface area will increase the amount of particles available to collide, so the amount of Your notes
successful collisions will also increase
E.g. Going from large pieces of reactant to powder
Therefore, the rate of reaction increases
Effect of surface area in the rate
An increase in surface area allows more particles to collide with each other. The number of successful
collisions increases, so the rate increases too
The use of a catalyst
A catalyst provides an alternate path to complete a chemical reaction
This new path requires less activation energy
The activation energy is the minimum required energy to start a reaction
Since the energy is less, the amount of successful collisions needed must be less
Therefore, the rate of reaction increases
Exam Tip
All these factors just affect the rate of the reaction. The amount of products, and the amount of
reactants consumed is the same
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